Give
En Español
Week of Compassion
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Staff
    • Board of Stewards
    • From The Executive Director
    • Partners
  • Action
    • COVID-19 Response >
      • COVID-19 Offering Resources
    • Domestic Disaster Response & Preparedness >
      • How To Prepare For A Disaster
    • International Disaster Response
    • Sustainable Development
    • Refugees and Displaced People
  • Stories
  • Resources
    • Special Offering >
      • Special Offering 2021
    • Worship Material
    • Media
    • Logos
    • Archive
  • Get Involved
    • Ways to Give >
      • Circle of Compassion
      • Endowments
    • Invite Us to Your Church
    • Volunteering & Support
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Stories

Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance
 In our weekly updates, we share stories of our presence and impact around the world: from disaster response, to refugee and immigration ministry, to ongoing sustainable development projects in impoverished areas. Catch up on updates you missed, or find stories you want to read and share again! Or, subscribe to receive weekly email updates. 

Maria: Two Years Later

9/24/2019

Picture
A volunteer ambassador team repairs the roof of home as part of the work of Programa Edifiquemos. Courtesy of First Christian Church, Madisonville, KY.
As we recall the impact of Hurricane Maria two years ago, we are also monitoring the approach of Tropical Storm Karen, forecast to hit Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands today (Sept. 24). We pray for the safety of those in the path of the storm and for God’s peace to calm anxious minds.

Two years ago, Hurricane Maria destroyed the home where Mrs. Rosa and her husband, Mr. Padilla, lived. They had lived in the home for 20 years, but after the hurricane it was damaged beyond repair. After an application and subsequent appeal for FEMA assistance, they began building a small concrete house. ​Their funds ran out before they could complete construction. 
Between Mr. Padilla’s part-time employment and Mrs. Rosa’s social security income, they were struggling to make ends meet as it was; there was no money available for them to finish building a new home. They had not yet installed an electrical system or connected with the power grid, and they were making do with temporary coverings on the doors and windows. It seemed they had exhausted all of the available options. 

Then they connected with Programa Edifiquemos--a ministry of Iglesia Cristiana (Discipulos de Cristo)--and they found a new way forward. Through Programa Edifiquemos, Week of Compassion assisted Mrs. Rosa and Mr. Padilla with the completion of their house, including: installation of doors, windows, and flooring; installation of electrical system and connection with the power authority; and sealing and painting the exterior walls and concrete roof.

Theirs is one of 57 homes repaired or rebuilt so far through Programa Edifiquemos. Supplemented by contract labor, more than 200 volunteers have contributed roughly 8,000 hours of labor to help get families back into their homes.

As we celebrate the good work accomplished over the past two years, we also recognize there is much still to be done! 43 more cases are already in process through Programa Edifiquemos, and across the islands, thousands of families still need assistance. Week of Compassion is committed to working alongside our sisters and brothers in Puerto Rico as they continue in the long process of recovery. Visit this site for more information about volunteering with Programa Edifiquemos.

Download PDF
 


Comments are closed.

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Africa
    Agriculture
    Asia
    Australia
    Bangladesh
    Border Ministry
    Central America
    COVID 19 Relief
    Cyclone
    Development
    Disaster Response
    Earthquakes
    Education
    En Espanol
    Executive Director Updates
    Floods
    Food Security
    General Assembly
    Haiti
    Honduras
    Hurricane
    Immigration
    India
    Indonesia
    International
    Japan
    Missouri
    Mumbai
    Myanmar
    Preparedness
    Puerto Rico
    Refugees
    Special Offering
    Tornado
    Typhoon
    US Storms
    Wildfires
    Women's Empowerment

Picture
Week of Compassion 
P.O. Box 1986 
Indianapolis, IN 46206
Week of Compassion is the relief, refugee and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Contact Us

Follow Us

  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Staff
    • Board of Stewards
    • From The Executive Director
    • Partners
  • Action
    • COVID-19 Response >
      • COVID-19 Offering Resources
    • Domestic Disaster Response & Preparedness >
      • How To Prepare For A Disaster
    • International Disaster Response
    • Sustainable Development
    • Refugees and Displaced People
  • Stories
  • Resources
    • Special Offering >
      • Special Offering 2021
    • Worship Material
    • Media
    • Logos
    • Archive
  • Get Involved
    • Ways to Give >
      • Circle of Compassion
      • Endowments
    • Invite Us to Your Church
    • Volunteering & Support
  • Donate
  • Contact Us